Former students are expected to travel from all over Australia to be a part of festivities as the school celebrates its 100th birthday. 

First called Captains Point School, Jervis Bay School was built by the NSW Department of Education, but because it was in federal territory the funding came from the Commonwealth. 

Before a school bus was made available, students had to walk, ride a pony or catch a lift with the mail car to get to school.

At its peak there were more than 200 students, the majority of whom were linked to the HMAS Creswell base. 

Now 92 per cent of students are indigenous and live in the Aboriginal community of Wreck Bay.

From noon on Friday there will be a discovery learning tour, where former students will follow a trail to look back through the school’s history. 

There are now five classes, from preschool through to year 6 and each has been assigned a decade to gather a photographic display of the school’s history. 

An assembly will be held on Friday afternoon with a welcome to country performed by local Aboriginal Elder Aunty Jean Carter. 

There will also be speeches from Captain Steve Hussey from HMAS Creswell and senior officer Meg Brighton, who is the director general of the ACT Department of Education and Training. 

Principal Bob Pastor said they will have a number of former students coming back for the event. 

“There is one family of three where the oldest sister is 91,” Mr Pastor said. 

“As far as I know, she is the oldest ex-student we have. 

“After the assembly we will be cutting a birthday cake and the plan is to have her with our youngest student, who is a three-year-old, to do the honours.” 

Staff and students will then arrange themselves in the formation of the number 100 to have an aerial photo taken by a Seahawk helicopter. 

The big celebrations get under way on Saturday from 9am and will be in the form of a village fair. 

A number of stallholders will be present, including the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community, the St George Illawarra Dragons, the Navy Rock Band, the Australian Federal Police, the Navy Sea Cadets and representatives of the University of Wollongong and the University of Canberra. 

During the day, a time capsule from the 75th anniversary will be opened up and replaced with work from current students. 

Celebrations will finish in the evening with a get together at the Huskisson Bowling Club for a meal and a dance. 

Mr Pastor said former students were coming from all over Australia for what would be a large event.

“We decided that it needed a big celebration and that’s what will come,” he said. 

“We are only a small school, but this is a great way to get our name out there.” 

For more information and a full list of activities, visit the school’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/jervisbayschool100years